The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA, 1970) regulates the identification, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. The act directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate hazardous waste “from cradle to grave.” Specifically, the act regulates such matters as
• hazardous waste generators and transporters
• land-disposal restrictions
• federal procurement of PRODUCTs containing recycled materials
• municipal solid-waste landfill criteria
• solid and hazardous waste recycling
• treatment, storage, and disposal facilities
• waste minimization and hazardous waste combustion
As amended in 1984, RCRA also covers the siting, constructing, and monitoring of underground petroleum storage tanks.
The RCRA’s goals are to
• protect human health and the environment from the hazards posed by waste disposal
• conserve energy and natural resources through waste recycling and recovery
• reduce or eliminate the amount of waste generated
• ensure that wastes are managed in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment
While the SUPERFUND addresses previously mismanaged hazardous wastes, the RCRA attempts to regulate waste management to prevent threats to human health and the environment. The RCRA involves a variety of government agencies, including the EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and EPA regional offices, states, and communities. Prior to the RCRA’s passage, there were many predictions of landfills brimming at capacity and the threat of not having access to waste disposal in the near future. Landfills were often a major environmental problem unto themselves, contaminating ground and surface waters. Since its passage, the RCRA has had significant impact on business practices, primarily in the areas of waste minimization and recycling. With the 1984 amendments, many companies were forced to remove and replace old, leaking petroleum storage tanks. Medical businesses also had to change their waste-disposal practices in response to the new regulations. One of the most controversial management issues associated with RCRA is control of hazardous-waste combustion, or burning of hazardous materials. Many communities and environmental groups have challenged safety and management practices at hazardous waste incendiary sites.